Etiquette

Prerequisite: Before coming out to any ERTC ride, you must purchase a (refundable) membership prior to joining a club ride, for insurance purposes. Your membership fee is refundable for three weeks. You must provide proof of membership to a designated ride leader. Safety is our priority. Helmets, mechanically sound bicycles and proper cycling clothing are mandatory.

Ride Etiquette

Coming out to a group ride with ERTC for the first time? Not sure how to ride with other cyclists in a group? Here are some helpful guidelines to help you integrate into a group ride.

Feel free to ask questions! We love being asked questions especially when you're willing to learn!

Riders should never be more than two wide on any road. This is to ensure rider safety and is an effective way to shelter riders from the wind. In some busier and narrower sections of road we will ride in single file.

The riders at the front of the group must communicate road hazards to the rest of the group by pointing them out. Everyone behind them has to pass the message along by pointing or calling out. Think of it as a game of telephone, but on bikes and in very stylish clothing. Edmonton roads have many hazards such as rocks, shingles, nails, drywall, potholes with alligators in them, railroad tracks and other road furniture. These things can cause punctured tires and in extreme cases broken wheels and bikes.

Do not overlap your front wheel with the rider in front of you. Occasionally the rider in front of you may have to move suddenly to avoid a road hazard, and will bump into your front wheel. Ever watched the Tour de France sprint stages with a big crash? Usually those big pile-ups are a caused by a rider overlapping a wheel and the front rider swerving. When one rider goes down, usually a bunch more go with them.

Make sure that you have a small emergency repair kit with you. Your kit should include: a spare inner tube, tire leavers and a mini-pump or CO2 inflator.

Riders should also be prepared with their own water/fuel/snacks for the duration of the ride. The longer rides will have somewhere to stop and refill bottles.

Lastly, Feel free to ask questions! if you’re unsure of something, one of the experienced cyclists on the ride will help you out. This is so important we put it twice!